Feasibility study of Leonardo da Vinci's bridge proposal over the Golden Horn in Istanbul
Name
1129457325-MIT.pdf
Size
7.83 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
466bc7cd41405a57abbcaae92fe71db4
Author(s)
Bast, Karly Maria.
Advisor(s)
John A. Ochsendorf.
Date Issued
2019
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
This thesis investigates the feasibility of a masonry arch bridge proposed by Leonardo da Vinci (1452 -1519). Leonardo wrote a proposal in 1502-1503 for a masonry bridge spanning over the Golden Horn in present-day Istanbul, Turkey. The design was a response to an invitation by the Sultan Bayezid II (1447-1512) to construct a bridge connecting Galata and Istanbul. Had Leonardo's design been constructed, at a span of roughly 280 meters, it would have been the one of the longest spans in the pre-Industrial world. This thesis examines Leonardo's proposal. assesses the proposed location and geometry, and determines the feasibility of the design through a structural analysis. As the proposed bridge is a masonry structure, the most critical structural factors include geometric stability and the response to support displacements. Both of these factors are tested through analytical means and a 3D physical model supported by moveable abutments. The combination of the initial stability, the kinematic mechanism under spreading supports, and the geotechnical conditions demonstrates the bridge's feasibility.
Description
Thesis: M. Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2019
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages [47]).
Subjects
Civil and Environmental Engineering.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
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